Michael performs to a capacity audience of 57,000 at three sell-out shows at Madison Square Garden, New York.

During one of these shows, Michael hits the headlines for Tatiana Thumbtzen kissing him on stage during ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’.

Amongst celebrity guests for these shows are Brooke Shields, Quincy Jones, Prince, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Joan Jett and Madonna. Ed Koch, New York City Mayor attends one of these shows and tells the New York Post, “he really is the supreme theatrical dancer – like Fred Astaire.”

Concerts scheduled for St. Louis, Missouri, the tour’s next stop, are cancelled due to Michael’s cold and laryngitis.

This months issue of ‘Vibe’ magazine has an exclusive interview with Michael conducted by Regina Jones.

The article and interview is as follows: “I first met Michael Jackson some 33 years ago when Diana Ross introduced the Jackson 5 — then a brand-new Motown act — to 350 music and media folk at the Daisy Club in Beverly Hills. My husband, Ken, and I were then publishing Soul, one of the first national black-entertainment news magazines.

Ten year old Michael already knew how to charm a crowd. Acknowledging Diana’s support, he said, “After singing for four years and not becoming a star, I thought I would never be discovered — this is, until Miss Ross came along to save my career.”

Just four months later, the Jackson 5’s first single, ‘I Want You Back’, soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts, followed two months later by ‘ABC’. Thousands of letters from across the country poured into our mailbox. Responding to the Jackson’s first tour, one reader wrote: “Those youngsters performed in a manner that could be harmful to one’s health. The heart can only stand so much soul, and their performance was definately an overdose.”

Over the next decade, Soul kept up with the Jackson family as a guest at parties, weddings, and concerts. We were also regular visitors to the family home, where Michael — soft-spoken, polite, curious, and quiet — was usually off by himself, drawing or playing with his snakes and other pets, while his older brothers, cousins and visitors played basketball. But when Soul stopped publishing in 1980, I lost touch with the family.

And then Michael became a pop-culture superstar, changing the face of music, dance, fashion, and music video with hit after hit. He was idolized and chased by fans and media wherever he went. He took an art form, refined and packaged it, and became an international icon. The American Music Awards recently named him the Artist of the Century. When it comes to the King of Pop, the world is insatiable.

You can tell a lot about someone by the people who work for him. Arriving at Michael’s 2700-acre Neverland Valley Ranch in Los Olivos, Calif., north of Santa Barbara, I’m greeted by some of the 70-odd members of Michael’s exceedingly friendly staff, which helps the self-proclaimed King of Pop maintain the complex and welcomes busloads of visitors a year, mostly kids who suffer terminal illnesses.

Dressed in black slacks, white socks, black loafers, and a soft yellow shirt, Michael greets me with a warm smile hello and a big hug. He then excuses himself to see about his son, Prince, 5, and daughter Paris, 3, who have just returned from a long walk and are excitedly chattering to their dad about their day. The governess, who closely resembles Michael’s mother, Katherine, suggests I have a brief look around the ranch before dark. So I take off in a battery-powered golf cart, while Michael spends some time with his babies.

I discover an amusement park, playground, train station, arcade, swiming pool, Jacuzzi, bumper-car tent, and various areas where anumals roam free. I spot a llama, a parrot, a cheetah, a pony, and several deer. Michael is ready to talk when I return 45 minutes later. I’ve brought along a bound volume of Soul, and he looks at the old photographs and laughs at himself, his brothers and a picture of Diana Ross. “Do you remember interviewing me when I was little?” he asks, reminding me of the time Soul talked to him through his ‘interpreter’, Janet. “It wasn’t a game, it was real,” he says. “I felt afraid. I felt that if my sister was there, the person would go easier on me.”

Often very animated, Michael goes from a whisper to raucous laughter in a split second. The only matter that he refuses to address is his plastic surgery. “That’s a stupid question,” he says. “That’s one reason I didn’t do interviews for years.”

At a time when stars routinely boast about their Bentleys and blingbling, Michael is singularly modest. He brushes off a question about his financial health — there have been recent reports of trouble — saying only, “I’m taken care of fine.” Michael makes money when he sleeps. He owns half of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which includes most of the Beatles catalog as well as songs by Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, Babyface, and Elvis.

At 43, Michael is indisputably back. ‘Invincible’, his first album in four years, was No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. His two sold-out tribute shows at Madison Square Garden last September (just before the terrorist attacks) were later aired as a CBS special watched by more than 25.7 million viewers, making it that network’s highest-rated music special of all time.

As we resume the conversation that began so many years ago, I discover that, in spite of all the flash and tumult of Michael’s time in the spotlight, he’s remarkable unchanged still caring, inquisitive, and sensitive.

Jones: How is it to be competing for sales with the likes of ‘N Sync and Britney Spears, children who were basically born at the height of your fame?

Michael: It’s a rarity. I had No. 1 records in 1969 and ’70, and still entered the charts in 2001 at No. 1. I don’t think any other artist has that range. It’s a great honor. I’m happy, I don’t know what else to say. I’m glad people accept what I do.

Jones: What are your thoughts on the current state of R&B?

Michael: I don’t categorize music. Music is music. They changed the word R&B to rock n’ roll. It was always been, from Fats Domino to Little Richard to Chuck Berry. How can we discriminate? Its what it is — great music, you know.

Jones: Are you feeling hip hop?

Michael: I like a lot of it, a lot of it. I like the music. I don’t like the dancing that much. It looks like they’re doing aerobics.

Jones: How did you decide to feature Biggie Smalls on ‘Unbreakable’, off ‘Invincible’?

Michael: It wasn’t my idea, actually. It was Rodney Jerkins’, one of the writer/producers working on the album. It was my idea to put a rap part on the song, and he said, “I know just the perfect on — Biggie.” He put it in, and it worked perfectly.

Jones: Why did you choose Jay-Z for the remix of the first single, ‘You Rock My World’?

Michael: He’s hip, the new thing, and he’s with the kids today. They like his work. He’s tapped into the nerve of popular culture. It just made good sense.

Jones: What was it like for you to appear at New York’s Hot 97 Summer Jam concert as Jay-Z’s guest?

Michael: I just showed up and gave him a hug. There was a tumultuous explosion of applause and stomping, a lovely, lovely welcome, and I was happy about that. It was a great feeling — the love, the love.

Jones: Does it bother you to see people emulate you, such as Usher, Sisqo, Ginuwine, and even Destiny’s Child?

Michael: I don’t mind it at all. These are artists who grew up with my music. When you grow up listening to somebody you admire, you tend to become them. You want to look like them, to dress like them. When I was little, I was James Brown, I was Sammy Davis Jr., so I understand. It’s a compliment.

Jones: Did you know that you were creating timeless classics when you were recording ‘Thriller’ and ‘Off the Wall’?

Michael: Yes, not to be arrogant, but yes. Because I know great material when I hear it, and melodically and sonically and musically, it’s so moving. They keep the promise.

Jones: Do you feel there’s a greater acceptance of black artists these days?

Michael: I think people have always admired black music since the beginning of time, if you want to go back to Negro spirituals. Today, the market is just accepting of the fact that that’s the sound. From Britney to ‘N Sync, they’re all doing the R&B thing. Even Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees he always tells me [immitating a British accent], “Man, we do R&B.” I say, Barry, I don’t categorize it, but it’s great music. I understand where he’s coming from. I love great music — it has no color, it has no boundaries.

Jones: You seem to be enjoying life as a single parent.

Michael: I never had so much fun in all my life. That’s the truth. Because I’m this big kid, and now I get to see the world through the eyes of the really young ones. I learn more from them than they learn from me. I’m constantly trying things and testing things on them to see what works and what doesn’t. Children are always the best judges to monitor something. If you can get the kids, you’ve got it. That’s why Harry Potter is so successful — it’s a family-oriented movie. You can’t go wrong there. We want a wide demographic, and that’s why I try not to say things in my lyrics that offend parents. I don’t want to be like that. We weren’t raised to be like that. Mother and Joseph [Michael’s father] wouldn’t say stuff like that.

Jones: What do Prince and Paris listen to?

Michael: They listen to all of my music, and they love classical, which plays all around the ranch. They like any good dance music.

Jones: How would you feel about your children becoming pop icons, based upon your experience?

Michael: I don’t know how they would handle that. It would be tough. I really don’t know. It’s hard, since most of the children of celebrities end up becoming self-destructive because they can’t live up to the talent of the parent. People used to always say to Fred Astaire Jr., “Can you dance?” And he couldn’t. He didn’t have any rhythm, but his father was this genius dancer. It doesn’t mean that it has to be passed on. I always tell my children, You don’t have to sing, you don’t have to dance. Be who you want to be, as long as you’re not hurting anybody. That’s the main thing.

Jones: Which artists — past and present — inspire you?

Michael: Stevie Wonder is a musical prophet. All of the early Motown. All the Beatles. I’m crazy about Sammy Davis Jr., Charlie Chaplin, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson — the real entertainers, the real thing, not just gimmicks, showstoppers. When James Brown was with the Famous Flames, it was unbelievable. There are so many wonderful singers — Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis. Real stylists. You hear one line, and you know who it is. Nat ‘King’ Cole, great stuff. Sam Cooke — they are all ridiculous.

Jones: How involved were you in selecting the artists to perform in your 30th anniversary special?

Michael: I wasn’t involved at all.

Jones: How were you able to let go of something so big and so special?

Michael: Trust.

Jones: What was your experience on September 11?

Michael: I was in New York [after performing at Madison Square Garden on September 7 and 10], and I got a call from friends in Saudi Arabia that America was being attacked. I turned on the news and saw the Twin Towers coming down, and I said, Oh my God. I screamed down the hotel hallway to our people, Everybody get out, let’s leave now! Marlon Brando was on one end, our security was on the other end. We were all up there, but Elizabeth Taylor was at another hotel. We all got out of there as quickly as we could. We jumped in the car, but there were these girls who had been at the show the night before, and they were banging on the windows, running down the street screaming. Fans are so loyal. We hid in New Jersey. It was unbelievable — I was scared to death.

Jones: On another tip altogether, what do you do for recreation?

Michael: I like water-balloon fights. We have a water-balloon fort here, and we have a red team and a blue team. We have slings and cannons, and you are drenched by the time the game is over. There’s a timer, and whoever gets the most points is the winner. If I’m going to do some kind of sport, I have to laugh. I don’t do anything like basketball or golf. Basketball is very competitive, and so is tennis; they make you angry. I’m not into that. It should be therapeutic. I also like to go to amusement parks, hang out with animals, things like that.

Jones: Do you have a fantasy of something that you’d like to see in your lifetime?

Michael: I would like to see an international children’s holiday to honor our children, because the family bond has been broken. There’s a Mother’s Day, and there’s a Father’s Day, but there’s no children’s day. It would mean a lot. It really would. World peace. I hope that our next generation will get to see a peaceful world, not the way things are going now.

Jones: Many of us see you as a historic figure, an innovator who has set a standard that still exists in music. Where does Michael Jackson go from here?

Michael: Thank you, thank you. I have a deep love for film and I want to pioneer and innovate in the medium of film — to write and direct and produce movies, to bring incredible entertainment.

Jones: What kinds of movies? Are you looking at scripts?

Michael: Yes, but nothing has been finalized yet.

Jones: Are you ever lonely?

Michael: Of course. If I’m onstage, I’m fine there. But you can have a house full of people and still be lonely from within. I’m not complaining, because I think it’s a good thing for my work.

Jones: Tell me about the inspiration for ‘Speechless’. It’s very loving.

Michael: You’ll be surprised. I was with these kids in Germany, and we had a big water-balloon fight — I’m serious — and I was so happy after the fight that I ran upstairs in their house and wrote ‘Speechless’. Fun inspires me. I hate to say that, because it’s such a romantic song. But it was the fight that did it. I was happy, and I wrote it in it’s entirety right there. I felt it would be good enough for the album. Out of the bliss comes magic, wonderment, and creativity.

Jones: Do you collect anything?

Michael: I like anything to do with Shirley Temple, the Little Rascals, and the Three Stooges. I love Curly. I love him so much that I did a book on him. I got a hold of his daughter, and we wrote the book together.

Jones: Is there anything that you would like to say to VIBE readers?

Michael: I love Quincy Jones. I really do. And also, I want to tell the readers not to judge a person by what they hear, or even what they read, unless they hear it from the person himself. There is so much tabloid sensationalism. Don’t fall prey to it, it’s ugly. I’d like to take all the tabloids and burn them. I want you to print that! Some of them try to disguise themselves, but they are still the tabloids.

Jones: Finally, how do you channel your creativity?

Michael: I don’t force it, I let nature take its course. I don’t sit at the piano and think, I’m going to write the greatest song of all time. It doesn’t happen. It has to be given to you. I believe it’s already up there before you are born, and then it drops right into your lap. It’s the most spiritual thing in the world. When it comes, it comes with all the accompaniments, the strings, the bass, the drums, the lyrics, and you’re just the medium through which it comes, the channel. Sometimes I feel guilty putting my name on songs — written by Michael Jackson — because it’s as if the heavens have done it already. Like Michelangelo would have this huge piece of marble from the quaries of Italy, and he’d say, “Inside is a sleeping form.” He takes a hammer and chisel, and he’s just freeing it. It’s already in there. It’s already there.”

]]>http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/03/03/in-this-month-march-2002this-months-issue-of-vibe-magazine-has-an-exclusiv-2/feed/0On this day – 2nd March 1988
At the 30th Annual Grammy Awards at Radio City Mus…http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/03/02/on-this-day-2nd-march-1988at-the-30th-annual-grammy-awards-at-radio-city-mus-3/
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On this day – 2nd March 1988

At the 30th Annual Grammy Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Michael brings the house down in one of his rare, live television appearances with a spellbinding performance of ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ and ‘Man In The Mirror’.

Although ‘Bad’ is the world’s best-selling album of 1987 and has reached number one in over twenty five countries, he wins in only one of his four nominated categories for Best Engineered Recording.

In the weeks following the Grammys telecast, ‘Billboard’ magazine reports that sales of ‘Bad’ rise higher than those of U2’s ‘The Joshua Tree’, the LP which did win the 1988 Album of the Year Grammy!

The Grammy telecast premieres another set of innovative Pepsi commercials by Michael. The commercials are so popular, they are requested specifically by Soviet officials to be aired on Soviet television. They are the first American ads to air in the Soviet Union, and are seen by an estimated 150 million Soviets.

Watch Michael’s performance at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards here:

]]>http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/03/02/on-this-day-2nd-march-1988at-the-30th-annual-grammy-awards-at-radio-city-mus-3/feed/0On this day – 2nd March 1988
At the 30th Annual Grammy Awards at Radio City Mus…http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/03/02/on-this-day-2nd-march-1988at-the-30th-annual-grammy-awards-at-radio-city-mus-2/
http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/03/02/on-this-day-2nd-march-1988at-the-30th-annual-grammy-awards-at-radio-city-mus-2/#commentsMon, 02 Mar 2015 13:04:47 +0000http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/03/02/on-this-day-2nd-march-1988at-the-30th-annual-grammy-awards-at-radio-city-mus-2/]]>

On this day – 2nd March 1988

At the 30th Annual Grammy Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Michael brings the house down in one of his rare, live television appearances with a spellbinding performance of ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ and ‘Man In The Mirror’.

Although ‘Bad’ is the world’s best-selling album of 1987 and has reached number one in over twenty five countries, he wins in only one of his four nominated categories for Best Engineered Recording.

In the weeks following the Grammys telecast, ‘Billboard’ magazine reports that sales of ‘Bad’ rise higher than those of U2’s ‘The Joshua Tree’, the LP which did win the 1988 Album of the Year Grammy!

The Grammy telecast premieres another set of innovative Pepsi commercials by Michael. The commercials are so popular, they are requested specifically by Soviet officials to be aired on Soviet television. They are the first American ads to air in the Soviet Union, and are seen by an estimated 150 million Soviets.

Watch Michael’s performance at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards here:

]]>http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/03/02/on-this-day-2nd-march-1988at-the-30th-annual-grammy-awards-at-radio-city-mus-2/feed/0Michael Was Inspired By Hall & Oates’ Song!http://www.mjworld.net/news/2015/03/01/michael-was-inspired-by-hall-oates-song/
http://www.mjworld.net/news/2015/03/01/michael-was-inspired-by-hall-oates-song/#commentsSun, 01 Mar 2015 14:15:08 +0000http://www.mjworld.net/?p=93897]]>Whilst in London for the screening of their concert film “Hall & Oates: Live In Dublin,” the legendary duo stopped by HuffPost Live on Wednesday, to share stories from their 45-year career — including the time Michael Jackson admitted to borrowing from them.

Brian Young from HuffPost asked the famous duo if there was any truth to him having read somewhere once that Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’ had been inspired by their song ‘No Can Do.’ He had read that Michael came up to them and had said that he had been inspired from the bass line of ‘I Can’t Go For That.’

Daryl Hall replied by saying,

“When we were doing the ‘We Are The World’ session, Michael came up to me in conversation and said, “Hey Man, I hope you don’t mind if I stole ‘No Can Do.’

When Daryl replied, “What do you mean you stole ‘No Can Do?’ ”

Michael said,

“No Man, I used it for ‘Billie Jean.’ “

Daryl continued to say, “Doesn’t sound like ‘No Can Do’ to me, but that was in his head because it inspired him. He said that to me. I thought that was pretty cool that he said that.”

Michael attends a specially arranged Press Conference with Pepsi to preview the new four-part Pepsi ads and to present a $600,000 cheque to The United Negro College Fund, monies earned from ticket sales for his March 3 Madison Square Garden concert.

Pepsi link the conference via satellite from Manhattan’s 1018 Club to journalists across the world, in the hope that Michael will take part in a question and answer session. However, all they get is a 15-word ‘Thank You’ speech.

Watch some footage of Michael at the Press Conference here:

]]>http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/03/01/on-this-day-1st-march-1988michael-attends-a-specially-arranged-press-confere/feed/0On this day – 28th February 1984
In the company of Brooke Shields and Emmanuel…http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/02/28/on-this-day-28th-february-1984in-the-company-of-brooke-shields-and-emmanuel/
http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/02/28/on-this-day-28th-february-1984in-the-company-of-brooke-shields-and-emmanuel/#commentsSat, 28 Feb 2015 06:00:35 +0000http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/02/28/on-this-day-28th-february-1984in-the-company-of-brooke-shields-and-emmanuel/]]>

On this day – 28th February 1984

In the company of Brooke Shields and Emmanuel Lewis, Michael attends the 26th annual Grammy Award ceremonies broadcast from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Michael wins eight Grammys in ten categories: Album Of The Year (‘Thriller’), Best Pop Male Vocal (‘Thriller’ LP), Record Of The Year (‘Beat It’), Best Rock Male Vocal (‘Beat It’), Best R&B Male Vocal (‘Billie Jean’), Best New Song Of The Year (‘Billie Jean’), Producer Of The Year (with Quincy Jones) and Best Children’s Recording (‘E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial’ with narration by Michael Jackson).

On receiving the Grammy award for Album Of The Year (‘Thriller’) Michael declares: “This is a great honor, I’m very happy. I’d like to thank Epic Records – it’s the best record company in the world and the best – the best President of any record company, Walter Yetnikoff, come up here, Walter, where are ya? Walter Yetnikoff, ladies and gentlemen. […] I – I also would like to say something very important that some people are entertainers, some people are great entertainers, some people are followers and some people make the path and are pioneers. I’d like to say Jackie Wilson was a wonderful entertainer. He’s not with us anymore, but Jackie, where you are, I’d like to say I love and thank you so much. […] This is one of my best friends in the world, I love Quincy Jones and he’s a wonderful producer and he’s a wonderful person.”

On winning the Producer Of The Year Grammy Award with Quincy Jones, he briefly states: “I don’t wanna take up much time, I just wanna say thank you and I love you all.”

On accepting the Best Children’s Recording Grammy award, he declares: “Of all the awards I’ve got now, I’m most proud of this one, honestly. Because I think children are a great inspiration and this album is not only for children, it’s for everyone. And I’m so happy and I’m so proud..And I’ll just say thank you so much.”

He makes the following speech on accepting the award for Best Pop Vocal Performance (‘Thriller’): “Thank you. Thank you. When something like – when something like this happens, you want those who are dear to you up here with ya. I’d like to ask for my sisters, La Toya and Janet, please come up. My sister, Janet, as well, come up. First of all, I’d like to thank God, – Rebbie, I’d like to have you up here too, you know -, also I’d like to thank my mother and father who is – who are with us all the way. My mother, she’s very shy, she’s like me, she won’t come up. Here is my other sister. I have three sisters. Also, I’d like to thank all my brothers who I love very dearly, all of – including Jermaine. I forgot to thank Steven Spielberg on the E.T. album award, I love him very much, and I also forgot to thank Quincy’s wife, Peggy Jones, she was a great help on the E.T. album. I’ve made a deal with myself – if I win more – one more award, which is this award, which is 7th, which is a record, I would take off my glasses. [smiles] You know, I – I don’t wanna take them off, really, but… Should I take them off? Okay. Well, Katherine Hepburn, who is a dear friend of mine, she told me I should and I’m doing it for her, okay? And the girl – and the girls in the balcony. Thank you.”

When ‘Beat It’ wins the Record Of The Year award he says: “I love all the girls in the balcony. [smiles] Again, thank you, my mother and father, thank you, Epic Records Promotion Department, Walter Yetnikoff, thanks, the disc-jokeys, for playing the records. Thanks to the public. I love you all. Thank you.” Producer Quincy Jones reads his speech, after which Michael adds: “I’d like to thank Lionel Richie, who is here tonight, and he’s a wonderful person and a wonderful songwriter. I’ve been knowing him ever since I was 10 years old. Also, I’d like to thank again Quincy Jones and the fans in the balcony.”

The Jacksons’ Pepsi commercials are aired during the telecast and are amongst the most successful and most popular ads ever, and the first and only set of advertisements ever to be included in the weekly ‘TV Guide’ listings.

Michael and Janet Jackson win an award for Best Music Video, Short Film for “Scream”, alongside producer Cean Chaffin and director Mark Romanek at the 38th Annual Grammy Award ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Ca.

At the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Michael is awarded his first Grammy as a solo performer in the category Best R&B Vocal Performance -Male for ‘Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough’.

Michael boycotts the event in disgust at being pigeon-holed into only R&B soul categories and is disappointed that ‘Off The Wall’ was overlooked for Best Album. He vows his next album won’t be ignored. It is widely accepted that the awards do not do justice to the hugely successful LP.

‘We Are The World’ wins four of its six nominations for Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group, and Best Music Video (Short Form).

Michael and Lionel accepted the award for the Song of the Year together. On accepting the award Michael makes a brief speech. Stepping to the podium, dressed in a black uniform jacket and red shirt, with several gold pins he says: “First, I’d like to thank God, and I’d like to say thank you for choosing Lionel and myself to write ‘We Are The World’. I thank Quincy Jones, who was the greatest producer to me. And I also like to say, when you leave here, remember the children. Thank you.”

At an ensuing press conference, he is asked about how he creates songs and to comment a little on ‘We Are The World’. He says: “That’s one of the hardest questions to answer, because it’s a – it just comes, songs just kinda create themselves, so I don’t wanna dissect it really, I just let it happen. […] I wanted something that the whole world could sing.”

Michael receives two nominations at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles for Best Pop Male Vocal (‘Black Or White’) and Best R&B Male Vocal (‘Jam’).

Although he doesn’t win the categories, he is presented with the Grammy Legend Award by his sister Janet, who narrates a video tribute to her brother. Both siblings look stunning and Michael is in exceptional form as he jokes with the audience, provoking a comment from the host of the show: “When did he get so damn funny?”

Michael began his speech on a humorous note:

“I hope this puts to rest, I hope this finally puts to rest another rumour that has been in the press for too many years – me and Janet really are two different people!

In the past month, I’ve gone from ‘Where is he?’ to ‘Here he is again,’ but I must confess, it feels good to be thought of as a person, not as a personality. Because…. I don’t read all the things written about me, I wasn’t aware that the world thought I was so weird and bizarre. But when you grow up as I did, in front of one hundred million people since the age of five, you’re automatically different.

The last few weeks, I have been cleansing myself and it’s been a rebirth for myself. It’s like a cleansing spirit.

My childhood was completely taken away from me. There was no Christmas, there were no birthdays,…. it was not a normal childhood, nor the normal pleasures of childhood. Those were exchanged for hard work, struggle, and pain, and eventual material and professional success. But as an awful price, I cannot recreate that part of my life.

However, today, when I create my music, I feel like an instrument of nature. I wonder what delight nature must feel when we open our hearts and express our God-given talents. The sound of approval rolls across the universe, and the whole world abounds in magic. Wonder fills our hearts, for what we have glimpsed, for an instant, the playfulness of life.

And that’s why I love children and learn so much from being around them. I realise that many of our world’s problems today, from the inner city crime, to large scale wars and terrorism, and our overcrowded prisons are a result of the fact that children have had their childhood stolen from them. The magic, the wonder, the mystery, and the innocence of a child’s heart, are the seeds of creativity that will heal the world. I really believe that…..I love you to….

What we need to learn from children isn’t childish. Being with them connects us to the deeper wisdom of life which is everpresent, and only asks to be lived. They know the solutions that lie waiting to be recognised within our own hearts.

Today, I would like to thank all the children of the world, including the sick and deprived. I am so sensitive to your pain. I also want to thank all those who have helped me to channel my talent here on earth.

From the beginning my parents, all my brothers and sisters, especially Janet. I am so proud of her, it’s incredible. I mean, I remember when we were little, I use to ask her to be Ginger Rogers while I was Fred Astaire.

The Motown family, my teacher Berry Gordy, Diana Ross, I love you, Suzanne de Passe, the wonderful, great Quincy Jones, Teddy Riley, my new Godson, Michael Gibb, my new Sony family, Iko Morita, Mikki Schullhall, Tommy Motolla, Dave Galub, Polly Anthony. Thanks for making one of my most creative efforts, the album ‘Dangerous’, such an incredible success. I love you all so much. Sandy Gallin, Jim Morey, all the fantastic fans around the world, I love you very much.”

Bruce Swedien receives a Grammy for Best Engineered Recording (‘Dangerous’).

Following the presentations, Michael and his date, Brooke Shields, attend the Polygram party at A&M Studios and later show up at the Sony Music party in Century City.

Michael kicks off his first ever solo tour of America in Kansas City performing to an audience of 33,918 during two sell-out shows at the Kemper Arena. The standing room only concerts bring in more money than any other artist has ever achieved at the venue, including Elvis Presley.

The newly revised shows included more songs from the ‘BAD’ album than did the shows in Japan.

For the first few shows of the tour, there were also surprise appearances by Tatiana Thumbtzen for the performance of ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’. It was also a surprise for Tatiana, who was contacted by Michael’s secretary only one week before the tour’s opening. She was glad to be a part of the show, describing it as being like Christmas in February.

Watch Michael perform ‘Rock With You’ in Kansas here:

]]>http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/02/23/on-this-day-23rd-24th-february-1988michael-kicks-off-his-first-ever-solo-t/feed/0On this day – 23rd February 2002
Although not present for the ceremony, Michael…http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/02/23/on-this-day-23rd-february-2002although-not-present-for-the-ceremony-michael-2/
http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/02/23/on-this-day-23rd-february-2002although-not-present-for-the-ceremony-michael-2/#commentsMon, 23 Feb 2015 09:48:13 +0000http://www.mjworld.net/history/2015/02/23/on-this-day-23rd-february-2002although-not-present-for-the-ceremony-michael-2/]]>

Founded more than 30 years ago during a meeting at the home of Sammy Davis Jr., the NAACP Image Awards honour projects and individuals of all races who have helped promote “positive images of people of colour.”

Watch Michael’s outstanding performance of ‘Billie Jean’ on the 30th Anniversary Special here: